Dev Dream Pod with Blake Gocey

Blake Gocey
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The Dev Dream Pod is a podcast about the real journey of making video games. Each episode features interviews with indie game developers, creators, and builders chasing the dream of game development. We talk about starting from nothing, launching games, surviving the industry, and what it really takes to become a game developer. If you love indie games, game dev stories, and the grind of building games, this podcast is for you.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    The Design Conflict That Almost Broke His Game

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuE Jeremy from Jeremy Makes Games shares his honest indie dev journey — abandoning Merchants of the Stars, building his roguelike Get in the Hole, and key lessons on Steam marketing, design tension, and YouTube devlogs.Get In The Hole: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4174950/Get_in_the_Hole/Jeremy's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JSMakesGames🎮 Roguelike vs Incremental, solo dev life, Steam Next Fest strategy & more.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Cursed Game Design01:15 - Abandoning First Game03:22 - Google to Indie Dev08:48 - Making Toggle App14:04 - Mobile Monetization Lessons19:05 - Merchants on Steam20:56 - Get in the Hole21:10 - Roguelike vs Incremental24:06 - Design Tension Explained26:59 - Steam Demo Results28:36 - Retention Improvements31:48 - Scaling with Items34:06 - Roguelike Builds36:06 - Killing Darlings38:47 - Marketing Challenges40:24 - Name Problems43:34 - Next Fest Plans44:41 - Luck vs Skill49:47 - Content Creator Outreach54:54 - YouTube DevlogsIf you're into indie game development, roguelikes, or Steam marketing, this is full of real talk and practical lessons.#IndieDev #GameDev #Roguelike #SoloDev #SteamNextFest

    1hr 11min

  2. 4 MAY

    He Made One Million Check Boxes

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Nolen's website: https://eieio.games/ In this episode, we dive into the mind of Nolan, a developer known for creating wildly unconventional multiplayer experiences like 1 Million Checkboxes and 1 Million Chessboards. Instead of following traditional game dev paths, Nolan explores strange, experimental ideas that bring thousands of players together in unexpected ways.We talk about how he got started, why weird ideas often outperform polished ones, and what it takes to design multiplayer systems that encourage fun instead of chaos. From viral internet experiments to deep thoughts on creativity, constraints, and player behavior—this conversation is packed with insights for indie devs and curious creators alike.This podcast explores experimental game development, indie game design, and viral multiplayer experiences with developer Nolan. Learn how games like 1 Million Checkboxes and 1 Million Chessboards became internet sensations, and discover insights on creative coding, unconventional game mechanics, and building engaging online interactions. Perfect for indie developers, programmers, and anyone interested in unique game design, multiplayer systems, and creative experimentation in game development. Chapters 00:00 Intro & Overview 03:00 Early Experiments 06:15 Creative Signals 09:00 Solving Hard Problems 12:02 Recurse Center Insights 15:07 Solo Dev Reality 18:00 Checkbox Virality 00:21:01 Anti-Troll Design 24:10 Stranger Video Game 27:04 Learning Process 30:18 Chessboards Explained 33:03 Emergent Gameplay 36:01 Ending Experiences 39:06 Game Length Debate 42:10 Future Projects 45:03 Dev Identity Hashtags#gamedev #indiedev #gameprogramming #indiegames #multiplayergames #creativecoding #webdev #gamedevelopment #indiegame #programming #gamepodcast #gamedevlife #experimentalgames

    1hr 1min

  3. 27 APR

    SamYam is A Game Dev YouTube Icon - Next Step, Solo Dev

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJSamYam opens up about her journey as a 120K+ sub Unity YouTuber turned indie game dev. She shares why her second Steam game Bus Buddies flopped after Desktop Cat Cafe succeeded, brutal multiplayer lessons with SDF sculpting, hackathon wins, YouTube burnout, and her big gamedev dream.In this honest conversation, she breaks down playtesting mistakes, marketing realities, team vs solo development, and how she makes game dev more fun and accessible for “TikTok brains.”SamYam on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@UCCkLMimnKzKbOQYxPDSYXFw Desktop Cat Cafe: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978180/Desktop_Cat_Cafe/Bust Buddies: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3768810/Bust_Buddies/ Chapters:0:00 Intro & Discord Announcement 2:38 Why Make Gamedev Fun 6:02 Growing Up a Gamer 9:04 Hackathons & Web3 Days 13:43 Bus Buddies Game Idea 15:40 Multiplayer Development Hell 20:03 Teamwork vs Solo Dev 22:06 Why Bus Buddies Flopped 25:32 Playtesting & Prototyping Tips 33:50 Desktop Cat Cafe Story 38:10 Branching Into New Genres 39:00 Marketing & Wishlist Lessons 42:50 YouTube Channel Origin 44:33 YouTube Burnout & Evolution 50:47 YouTube Advice for Game Devs 55:03 Business & Brand Plans 1:01:38 Steam Marketing Meta 1:08:30 Viewer Questions 1:09:11 Handling Hate as Female Dev 1:13:22 Sam's Gamedev Dream If you're building games in Unity, launching on Steam, or growing a game dev YouTube channel, this episode is full of real talk and actionable lessons from someone who's done both successfully. Subscribe for more indie dev interviews, Unity tips, and Steam launch stories!#Unity #GameDev #IndieGame #Steam #BusBuddies #DesktopCatCafe #samyam #MultiplayerGame #IndieDev #YouTubeTips #GameDevelopment #UnityTutorial #SoloDev

    1hr 14min

  4. 26 APR

    You're Missing The Best Time Ever To Make A Video Game

    Inside Conference: https://howtomarketagame.com/insideChris's Free Blog: https://www.howtomarketagame.com/freeJoin The Dev Dream Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuEThis episode with Chris Zukowski of How To Market A Game dives deep into the reality of indie game development, breaking down what it actually takes to succeed on Steam in today’s so-called “golden age” of small, fast-to-make games. We explore why genres like incremental games, roguelites, and management sims are dominating, how to validate your game idea using demos and itch.io, and why most indie games fail—even when developers follow all the “right” marketing strategies. From building wishlists and leveraging Steam Next Fest to working with content creators and understanding what makes a game “have it,” this podcast is packed with actionable insights for beginner and experienced indie devs alike. If you're trying to grow your game, launch successfully, or avoid wasting years on the wrong project, this is a must-listen conversation about indie game marketing, game design strategy, and how to actually make money as a solo developer.Chapters:00:00 Intro04:45 Conference Origins 09:30 Small Games Thesis 15:10 Industry Misconceptions 20:40 Why Small Wins 26:15 Speed Advantage 31:50 Scope Discipline 37:20 Dev Reality Check 42:55 Marketing Mindset 48:30 Finding Players 54:05 Platform Strategy 59:40 Algorithm Leverage 1:05:10 Viral Mechanics 1:10:45 Monetization Truth 1:16:20 Real Examples 1:21:30 Final Advice 1:26:00 Closing Thoughts #IndieGameDev #GameDevelopment #SteamGames #IndieDev #GameMarketing #SoloDev #GamedevTips #IndieGames #SteamNextFest #ItchIO #GameDesign #Roguelike #IncrementalGames #GameDevPodcast #MakeGames

    1hr 26min

  5. 20 APR

    The Real Reason Small Teams Crush At Game Dev

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Tired of wearing every hat as a solo indie game dev? Backward Studio shares honest insights on the benefits of working in a small 3-person team versus going solo. They reveal how trust, focus, and playtesting help them learn faster, make better decisions, and avoid burnout while building toward their first commercial release. From in-person workflows and revenue share talks to client projects and procedural sound design, this episode is packed with practical advice for indie developers considering teamwork or struggling with solo development. Dev Dream Podcast Chapters: 00:00 - Small Team vs Solo 03:30 - Trust the Process 07:00 - Data Driven Prototyping 11:00 - In Person Workflow 15:00 - Revenue Share Reality 19:00 - Client Project Lessons 24:00 - Deadlines That Work 28:00 - Programmer on a Team 32:00 - Artist Workflow Tips 37:00 - Procedural Sound Design 42:00 - Studio Future Dreams #IndieGameDev #SmallTeam #SoloDev #GameDevelopment #IndieDev #Godot #Unity #GameDevTips #IndieStudio #ProceduralAudio #DevDreamPod

    49 min

  6. 13 APR

    Code Monkey Loves LLMs for Learning How To Program

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ In this in-depth Dev Dream Podcast interview, Code Monkey (Ugo) shares his 20+ years of game development experience and reveals how he shifted from short Unity tutorials to creating massive 10–12 hour free courses like Kitchen Chaos. We discuss whether AI tools like ChatGPT and Grok are killing the tutorial industry, how to use LLMs effectively without blindly copy-pasting code, and why “vibe coding” can actually hurt your skills.Hugo also opens up about building a sustainable indie career, the challenges of balancing game development with YouTube education, why game dev audiences rarely buy your games, and his advice for new developers on prototyping, choosing genres, and finding success on Steam without chasing viral hits.Perfect for Unity developers, indie game makers, and anyone wondering how AI is changing programming education.**Chapters:**- 00:00 Intro- 03:14 Shift from Short Tutorials to Long Courses- 05:58 AI Killing Tutorials? Real Talk- 08:39 How to Use AI Without Losing Skills- 13:21 Will LLMs Replace Programmers?- 16:50 YouTube as Business vs Marketing Tool- 22:51 Balancing Games & Education- 27:13 Can You Still Succeed on YouTube?- 31:02 Choosing Video Topics That Matter- 33:51 Solo Dev Workflow & Hiring Artists- 37:45 Prototyping Strategy- 40:06 Genre Success vs Personal Passion- 44:06 Dinky Guardians Design & Inspiration- 47:57 Core Loop of Automation Games- 50:40 Biggest Technical Challenges- 52:54 Is Dinky Guardians a Success?- 58:07 Making Money with Free Content- 1:00:31 Future Steam Games Plans- 1:03:01 AI Impact on Indie Devs- 1:05:39 Advice for Beginners#Unity #GameDev #IndieGameDev #CodeMonkey #AIinProgramming #UnityTutorial #KitchenChaos #DinkyGuardians #IndieDeveloper #Gamedev2026

    1hr 9min

  7. 6 APR

    What To Do When Every Steam Festival REJECTS You

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Cian (developer of Puppy Park) got tired of being rejected from Steam festivals, so he did something most indies never consider — he ran his own. In this episode he reveals exactly how to create a Steam festival, why 750 games was a huge mistake, and the surprising visibility rules Valve uses.We also dive into his real-time cozy dog hotel game Puppy Park, the nostalgia behind it, commissioning art from Instagram, NextFest wishlist drama, and why even “successful” launches often just break even after a year.If you’re an indie dev struggling with marketing or festivals, this one is packed with practical lessons.🎮 Puppy Park on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2819600/Puppy_Park/Chapters:0:00 – Intro0:33 – Why He Made His Own Festival2:54 – How to Run a Steam Festival4:38 – Wholesome Underdogs Festival5:50 – 750 Games Applied8:52 – Festival Visibility Secrets15:57 – The Big Mistake17:38 – Takeaways If You Want to Run One28:54 – Puppy Park Elevator Pitch34:00 – Real-Time Game Problems38:07 – Wishlist & Sales Reality43:50 – Press Strategy (200 Emails)59:21 – His Game Dev DreamSubscribe for more raw indie dev stories → https://www.youtube.com/@DevDreamPodWhat do you think — would you ever run your own Steam festival? Drop your thoughts below!#IndieGameDev #SteamFestival #CozyGames #PuppyPark #SoloDev #SteamMarketing #NextFest #GameDev #IndieDev #CozyGame #RealTimeGame #WholesomeGames #SteamNextFest #GameDevelopment

    1 hr

  8. 30 MAR

    46 With Kids & A Day Job: The Indie Dev With A Different Dream

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Flawed Tactics on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2600970/Flawed_Tactics/In this episode of Dev Dream, I sit down with Charlie — a 46-year-old dad, husband, full-time corporate worker, and solo dev building Flawed Tactics, a clever PvP autobattler. We dive deep into why he wakes up at 4 AM to make games, how he solved the “dead multiplayer lobby” problem with async PvP, and the wild stock market meta that dynamically prices minions and spells to kill net-decking forever.Charlie also shares why even a $500,000 game probably wouldn’t let him quit his day job, the surprising accessibility of game dev legends, and his honest shift from financial dreams to building a real community. If you’re a game developer balancing life, work, and passion projects, this one will hit hard.Watch until the end for Charlie’s current gamedev dream and his unique take on why game design is the hardest discipline of all.Chapters:0:00 – Intro0:35 – Async PvP Fix2:02 – Dad Dev Life3:10 – $500k Not Enough7:58 – Hardest Game Design9:29 – First Commercial Game12:25 – Legends Are Accessible14:33 – Redefining Success28:54 – Flawed Tactics Pitch33:31 – Stock Market Meta38:45 – Live + Async PvP46:20 – Next Fest Plans1:03:43 – Gamedev DreamSubscribe for more honest conversations with indie game developers chasing their Dev Dream → https://www.youtube.com/@DevDreamPodLet me know in the comments: Would you rather play constructed or deck-building autobattlers? And what’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your game dev passion?#IndieGameDev #AutoBattler #GameDevelopment #SoloDev #FlawedTactics #IndieDev #GamedevPodcast #AsyncPvP #TeamFightTactics #IndieGames #GameDesign #DevDream

    1hr 5min
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The Dev Dream Pod is a podcast about the real journey of making video games. Each episode features interviews with indie game developers, creators, and builders chasing the dream of game development. We talk about starting from nothing, launching games, surviving the industry, and what it really takes to become a game developer. If you love indie games, game dev stories, and the grind of building games, this podcast is for you.

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